The invention relates to a rotary flail feeding device commonly used to trim grass, weeds and light brush.
My U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,675,897 and 5,743,019 disclose rotary flail feeding devices for trimming grass, weeds, small shrubs and the like. In these devices lengths of coiled flail line are stored in single cavities and are fed radially inwardly, around a central post and then outwardly from the flail feeding device to form rotary flails. The devices are rotated by a conventional electric motor or gasoline engine so that the flails are held outwardly by centrifugal force for cutting. During operation, the ends of the flails are worn or break away and are replaced by additional flail line automatically unwound from the central post, without operator intervention.
The fail feeding devices disclosed in my patents can be used with two lengths of spiral wound coil line in the storage cavity and two outwardly extending flails. When two flails are used, a line director or guide mounted on the post maintains the two flails 180 degrees spaced from each other around the post to facilitate balance of the head and limit tangling of the flails.
During operation of the two flail devices, two lengths of flail line in the storage cavity are fed to the post through a single annular line feed passage. The passage has a width less than twice the diameter of the flail line. The two lengths of flail line can jam in the feed passage. The device must be disassembled to clear the jam. Jamming may occur because the individual lengths of flail line are fed along the passage at different rates.
Thus, there is a need for an improved two flail rotary flail feeding device or head where flail line for each flail is reliably fed to the post to reestablish length of shortened flails. The head should operate automatically without operator intervention or jams.
The invention is a rotary flail feeding device with two flails which automatically feeds flail line to the flails to replenish length of the flails as worn, without jams. The flail feeding device or head includes a separate line storage cavity and feed passage for each length of flail line. Each feeding passage extends from a storage cavity to the post and assures that flail line is fed to the post to replenish both flails as needed, without jamming.
In the disclosed invention, the two flails extend outwardly from the center of the head. Separated line storage cavities and feeding passages are located on the top and bottom of the head and feed lengths of flail line to the top and bottom of a central post. The flail lines are automatically wound around the top and bottom of the post, fed toward the center of the post and extend outwardly from the center of the post to form flails. A line guide mounted on the center of the post facilitates feeding the line to the flails.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, of which there are four sheets of drawings and two embodiments.